Town guide

Leicester, Massachusetts

Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to about 11,113 people across 23 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 01524, 01542 and 01611.

Homes sold for a median of $289 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.

Population11,113478 per sq mi
Median home value$413,100Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$289Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking71%Median of 3 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Leicester

3 ZIP codes

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Leicester. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

The Leicester guide is on the way

We’re writing up Leicester’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

Are you a local agent who knows Leicester well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Leicester

Distances

Nearest major airportRhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)43 miles away
Closer regional airportWorcester Regional Airport (ORH)3 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Boston, MA46 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+New York, NY151 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Leicester; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Leicester

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Leicester had 11,087 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.

It’s the 173rd largest of 351 towns in Massachusetts by population.

Worcester County grew from 346,958 residents in 1900 to 862,111 in 2020.

Leicester population by census2000: 10,471, 2010: 10,970, 2020: 11,08710,471200010,970201011,0872020

Worcester County, 1900–2020

Worcester County population, 1900 to 20201900: 346,958, 1910: 399,657, 1920: 455,135, 1930: 491,242, 1940: 504,470, 1950: 546,401, 1960: 583,228, 1970: 637,969, 1980: 646,352, 1990: 709,705, 2000: 750,963, 2010: 798,552, 2020: 862,111347K’00’10455K’20’30504K’40’50583K’60’70646K’80’90751K’00’10862K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 17°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 73 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near LeicesterJan: high 32°F, low 17°F, 3.5 in; Feb: high 35°F, low 19°F, 3.3 in; Mar: high 43°F, low 26°F, 4.2 in; Apr: high 56°F, low 37°F, 4.1 in; May: high 67°F, low 47°F, 3.6 in; Jun: high 75°F, low 56°F, 4.2 in; Jul: high 80°F, low 62°F, 3.9 in; Aug: high 78°F, low 61°F, 4.1 in; Sep: high 71°F, low 53°F, 4.2 in; Oct: high 59°F, low 42°F, 4.8 in; Nov: high 48°F, low 33°F, 4 in; Dec: high 38°F, low 23°F, 4.3 in32°17°Jan3.535°19°Feb3.343°26°Mar4.256°37°Apr4.167°47°May3.675°56°Jun4.280°62°Jul3.978°61°Aug4.171°53°Sep4.259°42°Oct4.848°33°Nov4.038°23°Dec4.3Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Worcester Rgnl Ap, MA weather station (3 miles away).

Jobs in Worcester County

319,255 jobs at 19,181 businesses in Worcester County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Worcester CountyHealth care and social assistance: 67,866 jobs; Retail trade: 38,937 jobs; Manufacturing: 35,163 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 27,313 jobs; Professional services: 22,811 jobs; Educational services: 16,877 jobs; Construction: 16,619 jobs; Administrative and support: 15,552 jobsHealth care and social assistance 21% Retail trade 12% Manufacturing 11% Hotels and restaurants 9% Professional services 7% Educational services 5% Construction 5% Administrative and support 5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

48 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Leicester’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

  • St. Vincent HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Worcester6.4 miles
  • Adcare Hospital of Worcester INCGeneral hospital · no emergency room · Worcester6.7 miles
  • Umass Memorial Medical Center/University CampusGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Worcester8.4 miles

Providers with an office here

Specialist doctors1
Dentists3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants5
Mental health providers22
Physical and occupational therapists16
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies1

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Leicester

Parks (13 nearby)

  • New Balance Fields · 35 acres2.7 mi
  • Kettle Brook Conservation Area GWLT · 19 acres2.6 mi
  • J.E. Russell Park · 13 acres1.0 mi
  • Rochdale Park · 9 acres2.4 mi
  • Community Field · 5 acres1.4 mi
  • Towtaid Park · 5 acres1.9 mi

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Walmart Supercenter1.9 mi

Pharmacies

  • CVS Pharmacy3.4 mi
  • Ash Pharmacy4.1 mi
  • Auburn Pharmacy4.2 mi
  • CVS Pharmacy4.3 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Leicester Public Library1.1 mi

Museums

  • Auburn Historical Museum4.8 mi
  • Clara Barton Homestead5.4 mi
  • Blackstone River Valley Heritage Center5.9 mi
  • Worcester Historical Museum5.9 mi
  • Salisbury Mansion6.2 mi

Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)

  • Leicester Drive-In2.0 mi

Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1713.

Notable people born here

  • William Henry Crane (1845) · American actor (1845-1928)
  • Emory Washburn (1800) · American politician; Harvard Law professor (1800–1877)

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Leicester

Public schools here are run by Leicester. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (4)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Leicester Integrated PreschoolLeicesterPre-K45Public1.6 mi
Leicester ElementaryLeicesterK–4467Public1.6 mi
Leicester MiddleLeicester5–8394Public1.6 mi
Leicester HighLeicester9–12388Public1.3 mi
Private schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
Mcauley Nazareth Home for BoysLeicester2–812Nonsectarian2.2 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Leicester is

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Towns near Leicester

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Shares ZIP codes with Oxford and Auburn.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.